After giving a basic definition, with an assist from Wikipedia and another from Gartner’s Dave McClure, Cureton digs into U.S. colonized history to find an apt metaphor for explaining the importance of good governance.

The 13 original colonies “had IT security problems ... I mean, border-security challenges. One weak militia could jeopardize the security of them all,” Cureton writes.

“By creating a more perfect union which combined their resources for a common defense, they could be stronger and more secure.”

In his new book, excerpted here, consultant David Allen offers overloaded executives some advice on how to break their bad management habits and get focused on the work that matters.

Allen developed a “matrix of self-management,” based on two factors: perspective and control. Successful managers (and self-managers) retain a high-level perspective on the tasks at hand and avoid micromanaging.

“If you can maintain a sufficient level of each of these factors in yourself or in your organization, you probably won’t find much room for improvement,” Allen writes. “Your world will be in order and you’ll be focused exactly as you should be.”